Priaulx joins British F4 championship with Arden

Ginetta Junior vice champion Sebastian Priaulx will move up to the British Formula 4 championship with TRS Arden in 2018.

Priaulx started 2017 with a strong title bid in the Ginetta championship, but was hit with difficulties when team JHR Developments ran into trouble with the series organisers.

He switched to HHC Motorsport towards the end of the season, finishing second in the Junior championship with seven race wins.

Now the aim is to use that experience as he starts his single-seater career.

“2017 was a bit of a strange season with everything that happened with Ginetta and having to switch teams part way through the campaign,” Priaulx said.

“It was all out of my control and I just focused on performing at my best.

“I walked away as vice-champion, my head held high and proud of what I achieved. Now I’m aiming to win the British F4 title.

“Racing in single-seaters is going to be a new challenge for me. There’s a lot to learn. I’m excited for what lies ahead as I work towards my goal of race victories and hopefully a title tilt.”

Priaulx is the third driver Arden has confirmed for its 2018 line up, with Red Bull juniors Jack Doohan and Dennis Hauger already announced.

Arden’s connection to Formula 2 and the help up the single-seater ladder attracted Priaulx to the team, he said.

But taking the title with the team would be an achievement no driver has managed in this era of the championship. Twice over the past three years Arden has helped a driver to second in the title (Ricky Collard in 2015 and Oscar Piastri in 2017), but only Carlin drivers have taken the title so far.